General Assembly President holds talks with Korean officials in Seoul

The President of the General Assembly today met with the President of the Republic of Korea and other senior officials in Seoul to discuss pressing issues at the top of the United Nations agenda, including poverty, relief efforts in earthquake-stricken Haiti and Chile and climate change.

Ali Treki and Lee Myung-bak talked about the high-level summit that will be convened at UN Headquarters in September aimed at boosting efforts to achieve the anti-poverty targets world leaders have pledged to achieve by 2015, known as the Millennium Developments Goals (MDGs).

In addition, they discussed the country’s chairmanship of the G20 group of developed and developing countries, whose summit will be held in Seoul later this year.

“President Lee assured Dr. Treki that his country will ensure that the November 2010 Summit of the Group addresses the concerns of the developing world, in particular the impact of the global financial and economic crisis on their economies,” according to a statement issued by the spokesperson for the Assembly President.

“Dr. Treki underlined the need to involve the entire membership of the General Assembly in this regard, highlighting the concerns of developing countries regarding the global economic and financial situation,” the statement added.

During the meeting, the two men also underscored the need to strengthen multilateralism in particular in ensuring the success of the upcoming meeting in Mexico on climate change, as well as in reforming the UN to fortify the Organization in all areas.

While in Seoul, Dr. Treki met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Yu Myung-hwan, to consult on a wide range of topics, including Security Council reform, the MDG Summit, disarmament and non-proliferation, the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the Middle East. He also held talks with Speaker of the National Assembly Kim Hyung-oh.